Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Manjula Chellur, who is part of the division bench hearing the Narada case, has been transferred.
Manjula Chellur | via Commons
Confirming reports, High Court sources told THE WEEK that the chief justice has received the transfer order. According to sources, she has been transferred to Bombay High Court as chief justice.
Incidentally, the news of her transfer comes a day after Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Chandigarh, confirmed that the Narada tapes were genuine. The tapes had showed many ministers and senior leaders of Trinamool Congress leaders accepting bribes.
Hailing from Karnataka, Chellur began her career as a counsel in Karnataka High Court where she was made judge later. She is known for the sharp observations and remarks she makes in the court. During one of the hearings, she had pointed out the pathetic condition of the industrialists in West Bengal and observed that chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana directly talk to investors to attract businesses.
She was also vocal about syndicate raj (TMC leaders running construction material business and forcing people to buy from them) and extortion of money from businessmen by the ruling party leaders. She was moved by the plight of tea estate workers in the state whom she visited several times and promised legal assistance. Her efforts earned her the sobriquet 'people’s judge'.
Last week, she had asked the state government not to carry out investigation into the Narada sting operation as the case was already in the court.
She had never shied away from taking on the Mamata Banerjee government over several issues including Narada scam and Saradha scam.
